Latching and cocking device for air rifles



f! j Aff Feb. 27, 1968 D. A. HILLS l-:TAL 3,370,581

LATCHING AND COCKING DEVICE FOR AIR RIFLES Filed Dec. 16, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet lv Feb. 27, 1968 D. A. HILLS ETAL LATCHING AND COOKINGDEVICE FOR AIR RIFLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1964 jjj; f/ 4fUnited States Patent Office 3,370,581 Patented Feb. 27, 1968 3,370,581LATCHlNG AND COOKING DEVICE FR AIR RELES David A. Hills and Ronald W.Joyce, Rogers, Ark., and Robert Borden Willett and .lames F. Watkins,Tulsa, Okla., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Victor ComptometerCorporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 16,1964, Ser. No. 418,746 14 Claims. (Cl. 124-15) This invention relatesgenerally to rifles, and particularly to an improved cocking andlatching assembly for air rifles.

Rifles of the type to which the present invention relates in generalutilize a movable piston for displacing compressed air to project shotthrough a tube mounted within the gun barrel. To effect this operation,the piston is cocked or spring loaded by the user and held in thisposition until it is released by the user and the gun discharged as bypulling the trigger.

For the particular reason that many of these rides find use amongadolescents, it is of the utmost importance that every precaution betaken to insure safe operation and to prevent inadvertent or accidentalride discharge after cooking. At the same time, these ries must beconstructed so as to permit relatively easy cooking. However, care mustbe taken not to unduly complicate the rifle mechanism since bothexcessive weight and cost seriously detract from the marketability ofthe rifle.

An important object, therefore, of the present invention is an air riflecooking and latching device adapted to minimize the effort needed tocock the riiie and to virtually eliminate the possibility of inadvertentor accidental rie discharge.

A further object of the present invention is a cooking and latchingdevice of the above character wherein the cocking assembly is positivelylocked against further movement after spring loading by the latchingassembly until the rifie is discharged.

A further object of the present invention is a cooking and latchingdevice of the above character wherein the latching assembly is biased tomaintain proper positioning thereof throughout all phases of rifleoperation.

A further object of the present invention is a cocking and latchingdevice of the above character which lis relatively inexpensive tomanufacture, sturdy and simple in construction, light in weight andreliable and safe in operation.

Further objects and advantages will become more apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description and claims taken inconjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a side view of an air rifle embodying the principles of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the latching assembly shown inFIG. 2 with the parts in the latched position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the latch and plungerassemblies immediately after firing and before the trigger has beenreleased;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 parts being cocked; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the structure of FIG. 3 taken along theline 6 6 thereof.

Broadly described, the present invention includes a cocking levermanually movable in a forward direction to engage the rifle plunger'while tensioning an auxiliary spring, and thereafter movable in arearward direction carrying the plunger with it, thereby loading themain and 4 showing the lassembly 32 moves in a forward spring while theauxiliary spring pays out to assist in loading the rifle main spring. Alatch assembly normally biased away from the cooking lever is engaged bythe plunger when it is moved rearwardly with the cocking lever to biasit toward and into latching engagement with the cocking lever. Thecooking lever, latch assembly and plunger are so interrelated that theentire cocking assembly is positively locked against further movementuntil the rifle has been discharged.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, and especially FIGS. land 2, an air riiie embodying the principles of the present invention isseen to include a receiver assembly, generally indicated at 11, and abarrel assembly 13 removably fixed to the receiver by a screw 15 andextending forwardly therefrom. An operating forearm 17 is slidablydisposed on the barrel assembly 13 for movement from a position adjacentthe receiver 11, shown in FIGS. l and 2, to a position forwardly thereofand back to the position adjacent the receiver to cock the ride.Finally, the rifle of the present invention includes a stock indicatedgenerally at 19 extending rearwardly from the receiver 11 and fixedthereto to simulate a real cartridge or bullet firing rifle.

The rie of the present invention is designed to propel BBs or otherconventional projectiles through a barrel tube 21 mounted within a falsebarrel 23. To effect this, a piston tube 25 is moved rapidly along thebarrel 21 into engagement with a projectile positioned adjacent one endthereof. In addition, compressed air is forced through the piston tube25 and out its end against the projectile during its movement along thebarrel 21 and the combined effect is to propel the projectile rapidlythrough the barrel 21 and out the forward end thereof. The projectilesare singularly positioned in the usual manner within an opening 27 in afeed cylinder 29 which communicates with the rear end of the barrel 21from a feed tube 31 in preparation for each shot.

The piston tube 25 is fixed to one end of a plunger assembly 32including a plunger case 33 and plunger head 35 by a pin 37. The plungerhead 35 is slidably disposed within a contractible chamber 39 formed inthe false barrel 23 between a sealing washer 41, positioned between theplunger head 35 and the plunger case 33 and movable therewith, and asealing washer 43 adjacent the feed cylinder 29. The piston tube 25 hasan aperture 45 forwardly of the plunger head 35 so that as the plungeror right-hand direction as viewed in the drawings to contract thechamber 39, air from within this chamber is forced through the opening45 out the end of the piston tube 25 and into the barrel 21.

Forward movement of the plunger assembly 32 and piston tube 25 iseffected through a relatively strong main compression spring 47 cagedbetween a washer 49 mounted on the plunger assembly adjacent the sealingwasher 41 and a plate 51 fixed within the false barrel 23. Thus, as theplunger assembly is moved rearwardly, or in a left-hand direction asviewed in the drawings, the main spring 47 is compressed between thewasher 49 and the fixed plate 51. When the rifle is fired, the plungerassembly 32 is released and the main spring 47 forces the plungerassembly and piston tube 25 forwardly to propel the projectile throughthe barrel 421.

One of the features of the present invention is an improved easilyoperated cocking assembly for compressing the main spring 47. Thus, alongitudinally mov-able, channel-shaped, cocking lever 53 has a pair oflaterally spaced lug members 55 welded or otherwise suitably fixedthereto extending upwardly therefrom and provided with rearwardly facingshoulders 57 adapted to engage a pair of laterally spaced forwardlyfacing shoulders 59 on a clip member 61 suitably fixed to the plungercase 33. As shown a. in FIG. 2, the forward end of the cocking lever 53pivotaily carries a pinion gear 63 through a' pin 64.V The gear 63 ispositioned for operative engagement with a downwardly facing rack gear65 fixed to the false barrel 23 and with a similar upwardly facingdriving rack gear 6'7 fixed to the forearm 17 by a pair of forearmscrews 69, each of which freely extends through an elongated slot 70 ina respective one of a pair of guides 72. The forearm 17 is movable fromits normal, rearward position illustrated in FTGS. 1 and 2 to a forwardposition where these screws 69 Y engage the forward end of the slots 70.As the forearm moves forwardly, the driving rack 67 rotates the piniongear 63 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, causing itto walk in a right-hand or forward direction along the fixed rack 65.This, in turn, causes the cocking lever 53 to move forwardly, throughthe pivot pin connection 64, to a position where the shoulders 57 on thelugs 55 engage behind the shoulders 59 on the clip 61. See FiG. 5.Thereafter, the forearm 17 is moved rearwardly causing clockwiserotation of the gear 63 and rearward movement thereof. This effectsrearward movement of the cocking lever 53 and through the lugs 55 andclip 61, moves the plunger assembly 32 rearwardly there-by compressingthe main spring 47 as described above.

To be effective in propelling projectiles from the barrel 21 rapidly andwith reasonable accuracy, the main spring 47 is a relatively strongcompression spring and, as a result, diicult to compress. For thisreason, air rifle cocking assemblies often are designed with relativelycomplex lever assemblies and/or differential rack and pinionarrangements to assist in cocking the plunger assembly. To assist incocking the plunger assembly 32 of the present device to compress themain spring 47, a relatively long spring 71 has one end fixed to thecocking lever 53 at a location near the forward end thereof and theother end fixed as by a pin 73 to the rearward end of the rilie stock19. The spring 71 is, at all times, under tension there-by preventingthe cocking assembly components from rattling as a result of play. Whenthe forearm 17 is moved forwardly, thereby moving the gear 63 and thecocking lever 53 forwardly as described above, the effect is to tensionor load the spring 71. Thus, rearward movement of 'the forearm 17, thecocking lever 53 and the plunger assembly after the shoulders 57 and 59are engaged is assisted by the spring 71 as it pays out. In other words,as the tension in the spring 71 is relieved, the main spring 47 isloaded in compression thereby reducing the force required to be exertedby the user during the cocking sequence. Contrasted with a cockingassist device using a differential gear arrangement and an identicalmain spring, the main spring 47 of the present device is compressed thesame amount with a lesser amount of forearmmovement than required in thedifferential gear device.

The tension spring 71 serves the additional function of exerting aresilient upward force on the cocking lever 53 tending to pivot it in aclockwise direction 4about the pin 64 to insure proper engagementbetween the shoulders 57 and 59 on the lugs 55 and the clip 61,respectively, during the cockin g sequence and until the rifle isdischarged. Thus, by xing the spring 71 to the cocking lever 53 frombeneath the lever and near its forward end, a force component in anupward direction results thereon. When the cocking lever 53 is movedforwardly, engagement between the clip 61 and a cam surface 75 formed oneach of the lugs 55 moves the cocking lever downwardly against thebiasing force of the spring 71 until the shoulders57 are adjacent theshoulders 59 at which time the spring 71 moves the cocking leverupwardly as shown in FIG. 5. For convenience, a butt plate 74 isremovably fixed to the rearward end of the stock assembly 19 by screws76 for access to the spring 71 and its mounting 73.

Another feature of the rifle of the present invention is a novellatching and release assembly which includes a sear 77 and trigger lever79 pivotally mounted independently within the receiver 11 upon a pivotpin 81. As perhaps best shown in FIG. 3, the scar 77 has andownwardlyextending rearwardly facing shouldered portion 83 adapted to be receivedwithin an opening 85 intermediate the lugs 55 and to engage arearwardmost Wall 87 thereof. A single torsion spring 89 is mounted on apin 91 xed in the receiver 11 and has one end positioned to engage anend wall 93 of the stock 19 and the other end fixed to the forward endof the scar 7-7. Normally, the effect of the spring 89 is to bias thesear 77 ina counterclockwisedirection around the pivot pin 81 and awayfrom thel cocking lever` 53. However, when the plunger assembly v32ismoved.

rearwardly with the cocking lever 53 .during -the cocking sequence, adownwardly facing surface 95 formed on a Y notched portion of the clip61 engages the spring 89 thereby forcing it and the sear downwardly andpositioning the shoulder 83 in engagement with the wall 87. See FIG, 3.Thus, the sear 77 retains the cocking lever 53 in its-rearward positionwhichin turn holds theplunger 33 i`n its rearward position as long asthe clip surface 95 engages thespring S9. in addition, since the pinion63 remains lengaged with the racks 65 and 67, further movement oftheforearm 17 is precluded until the cocking lever is released from thesear which is not effected until the rifle is fired. This naturallyeliminates the danger of inadvertent' or accidental firing by providingAa positive lock for the entire cocking and plunger assemblies and,additionally, it provides a positive indication to the user that therilie is cocked.

The rie is fired by pulling rearwardly on a trigger 97 formed integralwith or otherwise fixed to the trigger lever 79. This pivots the triggerlever 79 in a clockwise direction around the pivot pin 81 and causes alower surface 99 of the trigger lever 79 to engage an end portion 101 ofthe cocking lever 53 and moves it downwardly against the upward biasingforce of the spring 71 until the shoulders'57 on the lugs 5S move awayfrom the shoulders 59 on the clip 61 whereby the plunger 33 is releasedand is thrust forwardly by the main spring 47. See FIG. 4. Thereafter,when the trigger 97 is released, the torsion spring 89 pivots the scar77 in a counterclockwise direction thereby freeing the cocking lever 53for forward movement by the forearm 17 and the next cocking sequence.Counterclockwise pivotal movement of the sear 77 brings it intoengagement with an overhanging lip 103 formed on the trigger lever 79and pivots it and the trigger 97 counterclockwise about the pin 81 untilthe trigger 97 on the receiver 11.

Thus, by the present invention, there is provided an improved air riiiecocking and latching assembly adapted for easy handling and foolproofoperation.

\Vhile a preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described yabove in detail, various additions,substitutions, modifications and omissions may be made thereto withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as encompassed by theappended claims.

What is claimed is: i 1. In anv air rifle having a plunger slidablydisposed within a barrel and first spring means biasing said plunger ina forward direction, a cocking device for said plunger comprising: n

a cocking lever movable forwardly' and rearwardly adjacent said plunger,

second spring means having one end fixed tosaid cocking lever andtending to bias said cocking lever in a yrearward direction,

manually actuatable means for moving saidr cocking lever in a forwarddirection `loading said second spring means and'thereafter in a rearwarddirection,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardlytherewith thereby loading said first spring means when said'. cockinglever is moved in a rearward direction.

engages an abutment surfaceV 2. In an air rifie having a plungerslidably disposed within a barrel and first spring means biasing saidplunger in a forward direction, a cocking device for said plungercomprising:

a cocking lever movable forwardly and rearwardly adjacent said plunger,

second spring means having one end fixed to said cocking lever andtending to bias said cocking lever in a rearward direction,

a pinion rotatably carried by said cocking lever adjacent the forwardend thereof,

a first rack fixedly mounted within said rie and engaging said pinion,

a second rack engaging said pinion opposite said rst rack,

manual means for moving said second rack longitudinally of said rifle ina forward direction rotating said pinion and moving said cocking leveralso in a forward direction loading said second spring means andthereafter in a rearward direction,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardlytherewith thereby loading said first spring means when said cockinglever is moved in a rearward direction.

3. In an air rifle having a plunger slidably disposed within a barreland-first spring means biasing said plunger in a forward direction, acocking device for said plunger comprising:

a cocking lever movable forwardly and rearwardly adjacent said plunger,second spring means having one end fixed to said cocking lever andtending to Ibias said cocking lever in a rearward direction and towardsaid plunger,

manually actuatable means for moving said cocking lever in a forwarddirection loading said second spring means and thereafter in a rearwarddirection,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardlytherewith thereby loading said first sping means when said cocking leveris moved in a rearward direction,

and manually actuable means for moving said cocking lever away from saidplunger thereby releasing said plunger for movement by said first springmeans.

4. In an air rifie having a plunger slidably disposed Within a barreland first means biasing said plunger in a forward direction, a cockingand latching device for Isaid plunger comprising:

a cocking lever movable longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly adjacentsaid plunger, second spring means having one end fixed to and tending tobias said cocking lever in a rearward direction,

manually actuable means for moving said cocking lever first in a forwarddirection loading said second spring means and thereafter in a rearwarddirection,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardlytherewith thereby loading said first sping means when said cocking leveris moved in a rearward direction,

and releasable latch means engageable with said cocking lever when inits rearward position.

:1n an air rifie having a plunger slidably disposed within a barrel andfirst spring means biasing said plunger in a forward direction, acocking and latching device for said plunger comprising:

a cocking lever movable longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly adjacentsaid plunger, second spring means having one end fixed to and tending tobias said cocking lever in a rearward direction, manually actuable meansfor moving said cocking lever first in a forward direction loading saidsecond spring means and thereafter in a rearward direction,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardlytherewith thereby loading said first spring means when moved in arearward direction, latch means pivotally mounted adjacent said cockinglever,

latch biasing means normally biasing said latch means in a firstdirection away from said cocking lever,

said plunger including means operatively engaging said latch biasingmeans when moved rearwardly with said cocking lever thereby moving saidlatch means in a second direction opposite said first direction toengage and maintain said cocking lever in its rearward position, andmeans for releasing said cocking lever from said latch means.

6. In an air rifle having a plunger slidably disposed within a barreland first spring means biasing said plunger in a forward direction, acocking and latching device for said plunger comprising:

a cocking lever movable longitudinally adjacent said plunger,

second spring means having one end fixed to and tending to bias saidcocking lever in a rearward direction, manually actuable means formoving said cocking lever first in a forward direction loading saidsecond spring means and thereafter in a rearward direction,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging s-aid plunger and carrying itrearwardly therewith thereby loading said first spring means when movedin a rearward direction,

latch means pivotally mounted adjacent said cocking lever, torsionspring means having one end fixed to and normally biasing said latchmeans in a first direction away from said cocking lever,

said plunger including means operatively engaging said torsion springmeans adjacent said end when moved rearwardly with said cocking leverthereby moving said latch means in a second direction opposite saidfirst direction to engage and maintain said cocking lever in itsrearward position,

and means for releasing said cocking lever from said latch means.

7. In an air rifie having a plunger slidably disposed within a barreland first spring means biasing said plunger in a forward direction, acocking and latching device for said plunger comprising:

a cocking lever movable longitudinally adjacent said plunger,

second spring means having one end fixed to and tending to bias saidcocking lever in a rearward direction, pinion means rotatably carried bysaid cocking lever adjacent the forward end thereof,

first rack means fixedly mounted within said rifle and engaging saidpinion means, second rack means engaging said pinion means opposite saidfirst rack means, manual means for moving said second rack meanslongitudinally of said rifie in a forward direction rotating said pinionmeans and moving said cocking lever also in a forward direction loadingsaid second spring means and thereafter in a rearward direction,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardlytherewith thereby loading said first spring means when said cockinglever is moved in a rearward direction,

and releasable latch means engageable with said cocking lever when inits rearward position.

8. In an air rifie having a plunger slidably disposed .lwithin a barreland first spring means biasing said plunger in a forward direction, acocking and latching device for said plunger comprising:

a cocking lever'movable longitudinally 'adjacent said plunger,

second spring means having one end fixed to and tending to bias saidcocking lever in a rearward direction,

pinionl means rotatably carried by said cocking lever adjacent theforward end thereof, v

, first rack means fixedly mounted within said rifle and engaging saidpinion means,

second rack means engagingV said pinion means opposite said first rackmeans, I

V.manual means for moving said second rack means longitudinally of saidrifle in a forward direction rotating said pinion means and moving saidcocking lever also in a forward direction loading said second springmeans and thereafter in a rearward direction,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardlytherewith thereby loading said first spring means whenrnoved in arearward direction,

latch means pivotally mounted adjacent said cocking lever,

latch biasing means normally biasing said latch means in a firstdirection away from `said cocking lever,

said plunger including means operatively engaging said latch biasingmeans when said plunger is moved rearwardly with said cocking leverthereby moving said latch -means in a second direction opposite saidfirst direction to engage and maintain said cocking lever in itsrearward position,

and means for releasing said cocking lever from said latch means.

9. In an air rie having a plunger slidably disposed within a barrel andfirst spring means biasing said plunger ina forward direction, a cockingand latchng device for said plunger comprising:

a cocking lever movable longitudinally adjacent ysaid plunger,

second spring means having one end fixed to and tending to `bias saidcocking lever in a rearward direction,

pinion means rotatably carried by said cocking lever adjacent theforward end thereof,

first rack means Xedly mounted within said rifieand engaging said pinionmeans,

second rack means engaging said pinion means opposite said first rackmeans,

manual. means for moving said second rack means longitudinally of saidrifle in a forward direction rotating said pinion means and moving saidcocking lever also in a forward direction loading said sec-" ond springmeans and thereafter in -a rearward direction, said cocking leverincluding means effective when said cocking lever is in its forwardposition engaging said plunger and' carrying it rearwardly therewiththereby loading said first spring means when moved in a rearwarddirection,

latch means pivotally mounted adjacent said cocking lever,

torsion spring means having oneend fixed toand' normally biasing saidlatch means in a first direction away from said cocking lever,

said plunger including means operatively engaging said torsion springmeans adjacent' said end when said plunger is moved rearwardly with saidcocking lever.

y thereby moving said latch meansiin a second direction opposite saidfirst direction to engage and maintain said cocking lever in itsrearwardposiition,

and means for releasing said cocking. leverh from said latch means.

10. In an air rie having a plunger slidably disposed within a barrel andfirst spring means biasing said plunger in aforward direction, a cockingandlatching device for said plunger comprising:v

a cocking lever movable longitudinally, adjacentsaid plunger, latchmeans pivotally mounted adjacent said cocking lever, t latchbiasingmeans normally biasing said'l'atch means in a first direction away fromsaid cocking lever,

second spring means having one end fixed to said cocking lever andtending to bias said cocking lever in a rearward direction and towardsaid latch means,

' manually actuable vmeans for moving s aid. cocking lever in a forwarddirection loading `said second spring means andthereafter in a rearwarddirection,

said cocking lever including means effective when said cocking lever isin its forward position engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardlytherewithk thereby loading saidvfirst spring means when moved in arearward direction,

. said plunger including means operatively engaging said latch biasingmeans .when said plunger is moved rearwardly with said cocking leverthereby moving said latch means in a second direction opposite saidfirst directionr to engage and maintain said cocking lever in itsrearward position,

and trigger means having a portion engageable with said cocking leverand adapted toL move said cocking lever away from said plunger therebyfreeing said plunger for forwardmovement.

11. In an air rifle having a plunger slidably disposed within a barreland a first spring means biasing said plunger in a forward direction, acocking and latching device for said plunger comprising:

,a cocking lever movable Vlongitudinally adjacent said plunger,

latch means pivotally mounted adjacent said cocking lever,

latch biasing means normally biasing said latch means in a firstdirection away from said cocking lever,

a second spring means having one end fixed to said cocking lever andtending to bias said cocking lever in a rearward direction and/towardsaid latch means,

pinionI means rotatably carried by said cocking lever adjacent vtheforward end thereof,

4first-rack means fixedly mounted within said rifle and engaging saidpinion means,

second rack means engaging said pinion means opposite said first rackmeans,

manual means for moving said second rack means longitudinally of\ saidrifle in aforward direction rotating said pinion means and moving saidcocking lever also in a forward direction loading said second springmeans and thereafter in a rearward direction,

said cocking` lever including means effective when in itsforwardposition engaging said plunger and carrying it rearwardliy therewiththereby loading said first spring means when moved in a rearwarddirection, said plunger including means operatively engaging said latchlbiasing means when `said plunger is moved rearwardly with said cockinglever thereby moving said. latch means inV a second direction. oppositesaid first direction to'engage and 'maintain said cocking lever in itsrearward position, Y Y v and trigger means having a portion engage'ablewith said cocking lever and adapted to move said cocking lever away fromsaid plunger thereby freeing said plunger for forward movement. 1 2. Inan air finie having a plunger slidably disposed within a barrel and afirst spring means biasing said A plunger in a forward direction, Aacocking and latching device for said plunger comprising: y

la cocking lever movable longitudinally adjacent said plunger, i v latchmeans pivotally mounted. adjacent said; cocking lever,

a second spring means having one end fixed lto said cooking lever andtending to bias said cooking lever in a rearward direction toward saidlatch means,

torsion spring means having one end fixed to and normally biasing saidlatch means in a first direction away from said cooking lever,

manually aotuable means for moving said cooking lever in a forwarddirection loading said second spring means and thereafter in a rearwarddirection,

said cooking lever including Imeans effective when said cooking 'leveris inits forward position engaging said plunger and carrying itrearwardly ltherewith thereby loading said first spring means when movedin a rearward direction,

said plunger including means operatively engaging said ltorsion springmeans adjacent said end when said plunger is moved rearwardly with saidcooking lever 'thereby moving said latch means in a second directionopposite said first direction to engage and maintain said cooking leverin its rearward position,

and trigger means having a portion engageable with said cooking leverand adapted to move said cooking lever yaway from said plunger therebyfreeing said plunger for forward movement.

13. `In an air rifle having a plunger slidably disposed within a barreland a first spring means biasing said plunger in a forward direction,cooking lever means and sear latching means for said plunger comprising:

a cooking lever movable longitudinally adjacent said plunger,

manually actuable means Vfor moving said cooking lever first in aforward direction and thereafter in a rearward direction,

said cock-ing lever means effective when in its forward positionengaging said plunger and carrying it rear- Wardly therewith therebyloading said first spring means when moved in a rearward direction,

sear latch means pivotal-ly mounted adjacent said oooking lever,

latch biasing means normally Ibiasing said sear latch means in a firstdirection Iaway from said cooking lever,

said plunger including means operatively engaging said sear latchbiasing means when said plunger is moved rearwardly with said cookinglever thereby moving said sear llatch means in a second directionopposite said first direction to engage and maintain said cocking lever.in its rearward position,

and means for releasing said cooking lever from said sear latch means.

14. In an air -rille having a plunger slidably disposed within a barreland a first spring means biasing said plunger in a forward direction,cooking lever means and Sear latching means for said plunger comprising:

a cooking lever movable longitudinally adjacent said plunger,

manually aotuable means for moving said cooking lever first in a forwarddirection and thereafter in a rearward direction,

said cooking lever means effective when in its forward position engagingsaid plunger and carrying it rearwardly therewith thereby loading saidfirst spring -means when moved in a rearward direction,

sear Ilatch means pivotal'ly mounted adjacent said cocking lever,

torsion spring means having one end fixed to and normally biasing saidsear latch means in a first direction away from said cooking lever,

said plunger including means operatively engaging said torsion springmeans adjacent said end when said plunger is moved rearwardly with saidcooking lever thereby moving said sear latch means in a second directionopposite said first 4direction to engage and maintain said cooking leverin its rearward position,

and means for releasing said cooking lever from said sear latch means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,067,984 7/1913 Heilprin 124-15RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

5. IN AN AIR RIFLE HAVING A PLUNGER SLIDABLEY DISPOSED WITHIN A BARRELAND FIRST SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID PLUNGER IN A FORWARD DIRECTION, ACOCKING AND LATCHING DEVICE FOR SAID PLUNGER COMPRISING: A COCKING LEVERMOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY ADJACENT SAID PLUNGER,SECOND SPRING MEANS HAVING ONE END FIXED TO AND TENDING TO BIAS SAIDCOCKING LEVER IN A REARWARD DIRECTION, MANUALLY ACTUABLE MEANS FORMOVING SAID COCKING LEVER FIRST IN A FORWARD DIRECTION LOADING SAIDSECOND SPRING MEANS AND THEREAFTER IN A REARWARD DIRECTION, SAID COCKINGLEVER INCLUDING MEANS EFFECTIVE WHEN SAID COCKING LEVER IS IN ITSFORWARD POSITION ENGAGING SAID PLUNGER AND CARRYING IT REARWARDLYTHEREWITH THEREBY LOADING SAID FIRST SPRING MEANS WHEN MOVED IN AREARWARD DIRECTION, LATCH MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID COCKINGLEVER,